Chapter 383: Wood and Water Generate Fallen Wood

"Physiological Age: 882/899." Li Fan glanced at the True Panel while continuously working on arranging the formation in his hand. His successive, selfless labors were not without cost. After Li Fan emerged from the process of arranging the formation, where his mind had been completely immersed as if in an epiphany, an uncontrollable sense of weakness surged within him. His physiological age rapidly increased under extreme exertion. Now, Li Fan had truly reached the end of his life.

"It's time to rest," this thought involuntarily arose in his mind. But immediately, he treated it as the primary material for his "Reverse Dao Heart" practice, forcibly suppressing all lethargy and fatigue. "If I'm not hard on myself, how can I achieve transcendence in this perilous world of cultivation?" Li Fan murmured to himself. Then, he shook off his weariness, forcing his aging self to burn the last moments of his life and resume his formation-arranging work.

The expressions and reactions of Yan Hang and the others below were all within Li Fan's expectations. In fact, there was no need for them to report. Li Fan had already explained his current physical condition when he used the Dutian Record to apply for cross-regional work with Qi Buyi. After his attempts to dissuade Li Fan were unsuccessful, Qi Buyi decisively agreed to Li Fan's request. "Theoretically, the Myriad Immortals Alliance should extend my lifespan. But nothing is absolute, and I must be prepared for the Alliance to act unexpectedly. Fortunately, I have enough contribution points and one remaining Lifespan Fruit. If necessary, I can buy or trade for other lifespan-extending items. This will buy me some time to conclude matters in this life."

After Yan Hang and the others submitted their report, it was like a stone sinking into the sea, not causing a ripple. This left the group of five puzzled and greatly disappointed. Li Fan himself, however, seemed completely unaffected, which only increased their admiration for him. Thus, with everything calm and uneventful, another six months passed.

On this day, a sudden dramatic change occurred in the peaceful Water Grotto-Heaven. The vast blue water world began to shake violently without warning. Caught off guard, Li Fan's process of arranging the formation was forcibly interrupted. Subconsciously, he tried to observe what was happening around him, but he only felt as if the entire world was spinning, leaving him dizzy and unable to focus. Fortunately, Yan Hang and the others reacted swiftly. The moment the sudden change occurred, they flew to Li Fan's side, took out various protective magic treasures, and surrounded him to shield him. Within the protective barrier formed by rays of light, they finally managed to somewhat block the effects of the external upheaval. Only then could Li Fan clearly see what was happening in this Water-attribute Grotto-Heaven.

The previously straight boundary between water and wood now appeared to be squeezed by immense force, forming wavy, twisted lines. The calm surface of the water, unchanged for millennia, was now generating colossal waves. These waves surged sky-high, connecting with the encroaching Wood-attribute Grotto-Heaven above. Amidst the tremendous, thunder-like grinding sounds, the colossal inverted tree above their heads seemed to draw closer. Its pointed, continuous branches stretched downwards, becoming withered and broken upon touching the Water Grotto-Heaven. However, this only slightly slowed its growth; it continued to steadfastly pierce through the boundary between the two realms. The Water-attribute spiritual energy in the world, once pure and peaceful, gradually grew turbulent.

Li Fan and the others watched with grave expressions as the enormous changes unfolded within the Grotto-Heaven. Meanwhile, Li Fan had already received a reminder from Qi Buyi via the Dutian Record. "Everyone, do not panic. This is a sign of the further progression of the Five Elements Unification. It's happening faster than we anticipated. It seems everyone needs to speed up their work. Be careful of the changes that may arise from the intersection of the two realms. Report any unusual situations promptly."

Once the changes began, there was no stopping their momentum. However, human adaptability is also remarkably strong. Soon, Li Fan and the others grew accustomed to working amidst the occasionally surging colossal waves and the roaring sounds of friction. For them, these disturbances at most affected their state of mind but posed no real threat. The true danger came from the strange creations generated during the fusion process of the Water and Wood realms. These were monsters formed from the withered branches and debris of the inverted giant tree, which, after falling into the Water Grotto-Heaven, had transformed by mixing with both water and wood attributes.

They varied in shape and were entirely composed of dry, yellow wood. Azure water flowed continuously over their wooden bodies, appearing like externalized blood. They were highly aggressive and extremely sensitive to the aura of cultivators. Even tens of thousands of miles away, they would instinctively seek out and attack the nearest cultivator. The Myriad Immortals Alliance had tried many approaches but had yet to find an effective countermeasure. Consequently, combat became unavoidable. Although these monsters resembled straw wood, their bodies were unexpectedly hard. Even a full-force strike from a Nascent Soul cultivator could only leave a superficial wound on them. Fortunately, their fighting style was clumsy, and their numbers were relatively small. The Myriad Immortals Alliance typically operated in groups of several individuals, moving collectively. Relying on numerical superiority and suppression by advanced equipment, they could, with some time, safely eradicate the monsters.

After each battle, Yan Hang and the others would report the details of the combat process via the Dutian Record. After collecting extensive data, the Myriad Immortals Alliance compiled key strategies for engaging these monsters and disseminated them to every cultivator. In different Grotto-Heavens, the monsters varied depending on the fused attributes. The wood-water fusion, wood-dominant monsters encountered by Li Fan and his group were named "Fallen Wood." There were two most effective techniques for dealing with Fallen Wood. One was Fire-attribute cultivation methods. Under scorching flames, the wood burned and the water boiled, turning the Fallen Wood into ashes. The second was a separation spell. By completely separating the blue water flowing on the Fallen Wood's surface from its main body, the Fallen Wood would collapse on its own, instantly transforming from a terrifying and fierce monster back into pure wood and water spiritual energy.

The separation spell was not only effective against Fallen Wood but also exceptionally potent against other monsters formed from fused attributes. Unfortunately, it was an exceedingly rare technique, mastered by very few cultivators. Most cultivators had to rely on conventional cultivation methods of various attributes to cope. Having summarized combat essentials, cultivators were now more at ease when facing the monsters appearing in the Grotto-Heavens. Regrettably, most cultivators still remained deeply concerned.

On this day, another piece of withered wood debris fell, transforming into a human-like, beast-like, yet grotesquely complete monster that launched an attack on Li Fan and his group. Immediately, Yan Hang's group of five moved to confront it. Li Fan continued arranging his formation while observing the battle. "Compared to the first one we saw, these Fallen Wood creatures have indeed made significant progress in their combat methods and skills," he thought. "These individuals, separated from the inverted tree, seem to possess a collective consciousness." Watching the intense battle nearby, Li Fan was secretly alarmed. "This is only a fusion of two attributes: wood and water. If one or even several more attributes were added, wouldn't the monsters become even more formidable?"